Architectural Scale Models completed

Unity Temple
Oak Park, IL

"For the Worship of God and the Service of Man."

The Center for Religious Architecture is honored to feature Unity Temple as the centerpiece of its collection of models. As our first model, Unity Temple exemplifies spirit in religious architecture. The design brings us together in sacred space where we are united in community understanding and leave with uplifted hearts.

Unity Temple welcomes people from all walks of life. Frank Lloyd Wright's design invites people to enter the worship space as individuals through two narrow doorways. By walking around the back of the seating area, they can choose their own level and space for seating. Seats are arranged so everyone can see each other. The minister speaks in the circle of people at their level.

From Unity's website:

"Frank Lloyd Wright's landmark structure for the Unitarian Universalist faith is designed to express the powerful simplicity of an ancient temple.

There is no steeple pointing up to a "God-Out-There" in the distant heavens. Instead, you find a remarkable sacred space, a temple that stands foursquare, where no one is more than forty-five feet from the pulpit, where the congregation can see each other, and where all are invited to look into other human faces and find divinity there."

St. Benedict the African Church

"There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in This Place" is the title of a popular gospel song selected by the congregation to describe the feeling imparted by this sacred place, which was created when five church communities merged together in 1989.

The song title is carved into the outward facing side of a three-sided cornerstone cantilevered from the building that was designed by the architectural firm of Belli & Belli, with the assistance of liturgical consultant Regina Kuehn and a determined, hard-working building committee of ten parishioners.

Two large bells-taken from one of the closed churches-were refurbished and placed in a simple bell tower in the center of a circular driveway. The long entranceway physically turns around those who enter to give a sense of leaving one world and entering a very sacred place. The turn ends at the top of perhaps the most striking feature of the church, the baptismal pool. The circular pool is built of Wisconsin boulders and flagstone. Measuring 24 ft in diameter, and 3 1/2 ft deep at the bottom of its six wide steps, the pool contains almost 10,000 gallons of water.

A wide, gentle ramp goes around the walls of the pool (toward the nave) allowing those on it to physically turn around again. The shape of the nave subtly recalls an African hut, with the scalloped walls reflecting a technique often used in African art. The altar, ambo and chair, completed several years ago for one of the former parishes by artist Jerzy Kenar, are carved from walnut in an African style.

The nave is circular, placing everyone in the "sanctuary," emphasizing that the liturgical action belongs to all who gather for worship. Chairs are moveable, and usually arranged so members of the congregation can see one another. Seating can be easily rearranged for special liturgies or in accordance with seasons of the year.

On the perimeter of the nave, large trees and plants have been set into the ground, with skylights above that provide natural light. Three tall, narrow stained-glass windows, positioned to capture the morning, afternoon and evening sun, introduce color and movement. The tabernacle, across from the altar, is three steps up from the floor and sits on a walnut tower. Although this is a place of honor, it is not the focal point in the nave. Behind the tabernacle is another woodcarving by Jerzy Kenar. At its center is the cross, set within the sun, radiating light in every direction.

To see this church in a neighborhood that has long suffered from poverty and all its consequences is to know the power of hope.

-Father David Baldwin, Pastor of St. Benedict the African Parish.

First Saint Paul's Lutheran Church

Dedicated 1970

Architect: Edward Dart

Fundamentals of Lutheran doctrine, Word and Sacrament are expressed, simply and clearly, in the sacred architecture of First St. Paul's. The center aisle of the nave leads, in a diagonal direction, directly to the altar table which hosts the sacrament of Holy Communion. The sacrament of Holy Baptism is celebrated at the font, honed from a solid, three-foot cube of granite, located to the right of the altar table. The Word of God emanates from the pulpit, located on the left side of the chancel area. Like the font, it is of solid granite. Located between the doctrinal symbols, at the mid-point of the semi-circular chancel wall, is the cross of the resurrected Christ.

The open-brick pattern of the chancel wall serves as a decorative element while framing the central cross. Acoustical overtones, which occur in circular wall spaces, are prevented by the perforated brick coursing. The entire chancel area is dramatically illuminated with a hidden source of natural light which enters from a large clearstory window located above the nave.

Corporate worship by the entire congregation is emphasized throughout the nave of the church. The seating area is wide as it is deep and there are no barriers separating worshippers from the chancel area. All in attendance are encouraged to feel part of the worship service. The walnut-stained, red-oak pews (similar in finish to the altar table) provide seating for 250 persons. Natural materials, including common brick walls and quarry tile floors, compliment the minimalist design and contribute to the excellent acoustical quality of the space. This is especially important when considering the importance of music in Lutheran worship. A raised area at the rear of the nave contains seating for the choir, a pipe organ and grand piano.

The main entrance and narthex are at the center of the church building. Upon entering, one proceeds directly ahead to the church offices. Entry into the nave is from the side to the left. To the right, a hallway leads to the lounge, fellowship hall, kitchen and educational space. Similar materials to those found in the nave are used throughout the building. The one-story portion of the church was designed to support a future second floor.


Holy Family Church
Chicago, IL

Back in 1857, a priest named Father Arnold Damen began construction on a new church that would become one of Chicago 's most beautiful. It was called " Holy Family Church " and is Chicago 's second oldest church and the original Jesuit Parish in Chicago . "Built with the nickels and dimes of very poor people, it was a place of great beauty in the lives of countless generations of Chicagoans, mostly immigrants," said Ellen Skerrett, Chicago historian. Newcomers to Chicago - first Irish and German, then Italian immigrants, and more recently Mexican-American and African-American people - have claimed Holy Family as their own.

Holy Family Church is one of the best examples of Victorian Gothic architecture in the country. Its 15,000 square-foot interior provides 1,000 seats for services and has a 65-foot ceiling throughout the sanctuary. The sanctuary is cruciform in design, having a south-to-north orientation, with the main altar located at the north end of the church.

Different parts of the huge church were built at different times. The original building was 146 feet long and 85 feet wide. In 1862, the transepts were added, increasing the width to 125 feet. In 1866, the nave was extended 40 feet to the south to the present length of 180 feet. The main pillars slant outward and are 18 inches off plumb. But structural surveys have shown that the pillars are not moving. The architect, John Vinci, who directed the restoration of the church, using the liturgical rationale of bringing the altar closer to the people, built a platform out in front of the altar rail, with a handicap accessible ramp on each side. Fortunately, the carved walnut communion rail was retained.

Among its many notable features are the round, clerestory windows, the oldest stained glass windows in Chicago and a world-class pipe organ purchased by the parish in 1870. The nave windows were made in 1860 and installed by the Von Gerichten Art Glass Company in 1907. The original great organ was built in 1870 by Louis Mitchell & Son Co. of Montreal with pipes and reeds imported from Paris . The organ had 64 stops, 23,944 pipes, was acoustically perfect and was considered to be one of the musical masterpieces of its day. The church contains 29 wooden statues by 19th century sculptor Charles Oliver Dauphin of Montreal , the largest collection of that artist's work in the world. The statuary and art work within the church reflect the different ethnic groups which the parish has served over the years.

The restoration work on Holy Family Church continues, aimed at creating a distinctively beautiful worship space that retains the treasures of the past while conforming to contemporary liturgical norms. Located at 1019 South May Street, Chicago, all are welcome to church services. Call 312-492-8442 for more information.